The first in a two-volume set of selected papers presented at the 3rd Pan-African Conference on Reading for All, in Kampala, Uganda. This volume considers literacy within the formal education system in Africa, bringing international perspectives to the topic. It documents programs that are working to improve practices and the teaching of reading in schools and literacy in more than one language, presenting case studies from Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Nigeria. It addresses the subject of developing culturally appropriate educational and literacy materials, particularly in African languages. The final section considers more esoteric debates about cultural barriers to reading and the development of a reading culture, and the cultural differences in reading and interpretation of literary texts.

Uganda's linguistic situation is complex. These papers from two conferences at Makerere University present a coherent and current picture. The book is divided into five parts: an overview of language and literacy issues in both Ugandan and international contexts; the issue of language for national communication; the role of local language in the education system; national policies and practices in teaching literacy and literature; and ways of encouraging a reading culture in Uganda.

From Testing to Assessment: English as an International Language provides a critical review of conventional and alternative approaches to the assessment of English literacy skills in various parts of the world. It presents empirical studies conducted in three major settings: in countries such as Japan and Brazil where English functions as the language of international commernce; in multilingual countries such as Nigeria and Zimbabwe where English is the national language of education and government; and in such countries as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States where English is the dominant language.The book opens with a discussion of language assessment in relation to debates about the nature of literacy; it concludes with a discussion of policy implications, which is grounded in literacy theory as well as in practical constraints such as available human and material resources.

From Testing to Assessment: English as an International Language provides a critical review of conventional and alternative approaches to the assessment of English literacy skills in various parts of the world. It presents empirical studies conducted in three major settings: in countries such as Japan and Brazil where English functions as the language of international commernce; in multilingual countries such as Nigeria and Zimbabwe where English is the national language of education and government; and in such countries as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States where English is the dominant language. The book opens with a discussion of language assessment in relation to debates about the nature of literacy; it concludes with a discussion of policy implications, which is grounded in literacy theory as well as in practical constraints such as available human and material resources.